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Related Party Transactions
12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2013
Related Party Transactions [Abstract]  
Related Party Transactions
Related Party Transactions
Members of the Dolan Family, for purposes of Section 13(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, including trusts for the benefit of the Dolan Family, collectively beneficially own all of the Company’s outstanding Class B Common Stock and own less than 2% of the Company’s outstanding Class A Common Stock. Such shares of the Company’s Class A Common Stock and Class B Common Stock, collectively, represent approximately 66% of the aggregate voting power of the Company’s outstanding common stock. Members of the Dolan Family are also the controlling stockholders of both Cablevision and MSG.
In connection with the Distribution, the Company entered into various agreements with Cablevision, such as a distribution agreement, a tax disaffiliation agreement, a transition services agreement, an employee matters agreement and certain related party arrangements. These agreements govern certain of the Company’s relationships with Cablevision subsequent to the Distribution and provide for the allocation of employee benefits, taxes and certain other liabilities and obligations attributable to periods prior to the Distribution. These agreements also include arrangements with respect to transition services and a number of on-going commercial relationships. The distribution agreement includes an agreement that the Company and Cablevision agree to provide each other with indemnities with respect to liabilities arising out of the businesses Cablevision transferred to the Company.
The Company provides services to and receives services from Cablevision and MSG. Until the Distribution date, the consolidated financial statements of the Company reflect the application of certain cost allocation policies of Cablevision. Management believes that these allocations were made on a reasonable basis. However, it is not practicable to determine whether the charged amounts represent amounts that might have been incurred on a stand-alone basis, including as a separate independent publicly owned company, as there are no company-specific or comparable industry benchmarks with which to make such estimates. Further, as many of these transactions are conducted between subsidiaries under common control of the Dolan Family, amounts charged for these services may not represent amounts that might have been received or incurred if the transactions were based upon arm’s-length negotiations. Through the Distribution date, the Company paid Cablevision a management fee pursuant to a consulting agreement between Cablevision and certain of the Company’s subsidiaries. The consulting agreement was terminated on the Distribution date and the Company did not replace it.
Revenues, net
The Company recorded affiliation fee revenues earned under affiliation agreements with subsidiaries of Cablevision. In addition, AMC Networks Broadcasting & Technology has entered into agreements with MSG to provide various transponder, technical and support services through 2020. Revenues, net from related parties amounted to $31,188, $32,195, and $31,885 for the years ended December 31, 2013, 2012 and 2011, respectively.
Technical and Operating
The Company and its related parties routinely enter into transactions with each other in the ordinary course of business. Such transactions include various studio production services the Company provides to MSG for which the charges are reflected as a reduction of the related expenses. In addition, certain related parties provide various digital media and administrative support functions which primarily include salaries and facilities costs charged to the Company. Furthermore, through December 31, 2011, employees of the Company participated in health and welfare plans sponsored by Cablevision. Health and welfare benefit costs have generally been charged by Cablevision based upon the proportionate number of participants in the plans.
Amounts charged to the Company, included in technical and operating expenses, pursuant to transactions with its related parties amounted to $324, $620 and $5,040 for the years ended December 31, 2013, 2012 and 2011, respectively.
Selling, General and Administrative
Amounts charged (credited) to the Company, included in selling, general and administrative expenses, pursuant to the transition services agreement and for other transactions, including management fees allocated by Cablevision for periods through the Distribution date, with its related parties amounted to $2,721, $(206) and $57,004 for the years ended December 31, 2013, 2012 and 2011, respectively. Amounts charged to the Company for the year ended December 31, 2012 are net of shared legal fees charged to Cablevision associated with the DISH Network Contract Dispute. See DISH Network Proceeds Allocation discussion below.
Through the Distribution date, general and administrative costs, including costs of maintaining corporate headquarters, facilities and common support functions (such as executive management, human resources, legal, finance, tax, accounting, audit, treasury, risk management, strategic planning, information technology, etc.), have been charged to the Company by Cablevision. Additionally, the Company charges MSG for a portion of the Company’s leased facilities utilized by MSG which such cost reimbursements are recorded as a reduction to selling, general and administrative expenses. Subsequent to the Distribution date, amounts charged by Cablevision represent charges pursuant to a transition services agreement. See also Transition Services Agreement discussion below.
Through the Distribution date, the Company paid Cablevision a management fee pursuant to a consulting agreement between Cablevision and certain of the Company’s subsidiaries. The consulting agreement was terminated on the Distribution date and the Company did not replace it.
Transition Services Agreement
In connection with the Distribution, Cablevision and AMC Networks entered into a Transition Services Agreement under which, in exchange for the fees specified in such agreement, Cablevision agreed to provide transition services with regard to such areas as accounting, information systems, risk management and employee services, compensation and benefits. Under the Transition Services Agreement, AMC Networks also provides certain services to Cablevision and MSG on behalf of Cablevision.
Under the Transition Services Agreement, AMC Networks provides transition services to Cablevision and MSG with regard to its information technology systems that AMC Networks, Cablevision and MSG may share. AMC Networks and Cablevision, as parties receiving services under the agreement, have agreed to indemnify the party providing services for losses incurred by such party that arise out of or are otherwise in connection with the provision by such party of services under the agreement, except to the extent that such losses result from the providing party’s gross negligence, willful misconduct or breach of its obligations under the agreement. Similarly, each party providing services under the agreement has agreed to indemnify the party receiving services for losses incurred by such party that arise out of or are otherwise in connection with the indemnifying party’s provision of services under the agreement if such losses result from the providing party’s gross negligence, willful misconduct or breach of its obligations under the agreement.
Share-based Compensation and Long-Term Incentive Plans Expense
Cablevision charged the Company through the Distribution date its proportionate share of expenses or benefits related to Cablevision’s employee stock plans and Cablevision’s long-term incentive plans. Such amounts are included in selling, general and administrative expenses in the consolidated statement of income. As the obligations related to stock option and restricted share awards under the Cablevision stock plans are satisfied by Cablevision, the allocation to the Company of its proportionate share of the related expenses through June 30, 2011 is reflected as capital contributions in the consolidated statement of stockholders’ deficiency.
Treatment of Cablevision Long-Term Incentive Plan Awards After the Distribution
In 2011 and 2010, Cablevision granted three-year performance awards to certain executive officers and other members of the Company’s management under Cablevision’s 2006 Cash Incentive Plan. The Cablevision performance metrics in the awards granted in 2010 to certain executive officers and other employees of the Company were replaced with Company performance metrics. The awards granted to certain executive officers and other employees of the Company in March 2011 under the Cablevision 2006 Cash Incentive Plan were replaced in July 2011 by awards granted under the Company’s 2011 Cash Incentive Plan, and the Cablevision performance metrics related to those awards were replaced with Company performance metrics. Amounts applicable to employees of the Company are and will continue to be reflected as liabilities, based on achievement of certain performance criteria as noted above, in the Company’s consolidated balance sheets until settled.
DISH Network Proceeds Allocation
As noted above, in connection with the Distribution, the Company entered into various agreements with Cablevision, including an agreement between AMC Networks and Rainbow Programming Holdings LLC, a wholly-owned subsidiary of AMC Networks,(collectively, the “AMC Parties”) and CSC Holdings, LLC (“CSC Holdings”), a wholly-owned subsidiary of Cablevision, with respect to the lawsuit entitled VOOM HD Holdings LLC against Echostar Satellite LLC, predecessor-in-interest to DISH Network L.L.C. (“DISH Network”) (the “VOOM Litigation Agreement”). Pursuant to the VOOM Litigation Agreement, CSC Holdings had full control over the litigation with DISH Network, the decision with respect to settlement of the litigation was to be made jointly by CSC Holdings and the AMC Parties, and CSC Holdings and the AMC Parties were to share equally in the proceeds (including in the value of any non-cash consideration) of any settlement of the litigation.
As previously disclosed in the Company's 2012 Form 10-K, CSC Holdings and the Company settled the lawsuit (the “Settlement”) on October 21, 2012. During the fourth quarter of 2012, the AMC Parties and CSC Holdings agreed that, pending a final determination of the allocation of the proceeds, the $700,000 cash proceeds of the Settlement (the “Settlement Funds”) would be distributed equally to each of the Company and Cablevision.
On April 8, 2013, Cablevision and the Company entered into an agreement (the “DISH Network Proceeds Allocation Agreement”) in which a final allocation of the proceeds of the Settlement, including the Settlement Funds, was made. The principal terms of the DISH Network Proceeds Allocation Agreement were as follows: Cablevision received $525,000 of the Settlement Funds and the Company received $175,000 of the Settlement Funds representing the allocation of cash and non-cash proceeds (including the portion of the DISH Network affiliation agreement attributable to the Settlement). The DISH Network Proceeds Allocation Agreement was in full and final settlement of the allocation between Cablevision and the Company of the proceeds of the Settlement.
In accordance with the Company's Related Party Transaction Approval Policy, the final allocation of the proceeds from the Settlement was approved by an independent committee of the Company's Board of Directors, as well as an independent committee of Cablevision's board of directors.
The $350,000 of Settlement Funds previously disbursed to the Company is included in cash and cash equivalents in the consolidated balance sheet at December 31, 2012. Deferred litigation settlement proceeds at December 31, 2012 of approximately $308,000, is the result of the $350,000 of Settlement Funds, less $31,000 representing the excess of the fair value of the DISH Network affiliation agreement over the contractual affiliation fees recorded to deferred revenue on October 21, 2012 and less an $11,000 receivable related to VOOM HD's previous affiliation agreement with DISH Network.
On April 9, 2013, the Company paid to Cablevision $175,000 of the Settlement Funds. Additionally, in 2013, the Company recorded a litigation settlement gain of approximately $133,000, included in operating income within the International and Other segment, representing the deferred litigation settlement proceeds liability of approximately $308,000 recorded in the consolidated balance sheet at December 31, 2012 less the $175,000 paid to Cablevision on April 9, 2013.